Motorsport | Formula 1

Williams team hotel evacuated after fire

The Williams Formula One team had to evacuate their German Grand Prix hotel in the early hours of Friday morning after a fire broke out, a team spokeswoman said.

Four members of the team were taken to hospital for precautionary checks for smoke inhalation, after the fire was detected at around 3 a.m. (0100 GMT), but all were discharged and at the track in time for first practice on Friday.

Drivers Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas, senior team management including founder Frank Williams and marketing personnel were staying elsewhere and were not affected by the incident.

Williams were badly affected by a fire at the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix that broke out in their garage after they had won that race with Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado.

Sixteen people required medical attention after that blaze at the Circuit de Catalunya with personnel from other teams helping extinguish the flames.